Model Rectifier Corporation (MRC)
80 Newfield Avenue
Edison NJ 08837
Price: $42.98
Website: www.modelrectifier.com
Hand-held walk-around throttle (#0001325) to be used with MRC 9900 and 9950 powerpacks. Dimensions: length, 41/2″; width, 23⁄8″; thickness, 7⁄8″. Weight (not including cord), 2 1/2 oz.
Pros: Lightweight, hand-held device gives walk-around capability for controlling track-powered trains
Cons: Speed control not very sensitive; supplied cord only 46″ long
After reading the brief instruction page, I hooked the hand piece up to the power pack and connected the latter to my test track. When the power pack and hand piece are tied together, either can be used to control the train, but only one at a time. Control is transferred from one unit to the other simply by pressing any button on either unit. The hand piece has a speed-control rheostat, a direction button, and a brake button. The power pack has additional momentum control, which cannot be accessed via the hand piece.
When all was in order, I turned it on. I immediately found that the rheostat on the hand piece lacked the smoothness and sensitivity of that on the power pack. If I slowly turned it, the engine’s light would come on and it would begin to creep. There was a point, however, at which the power increased suddenly and there was a distinct speed change.
Aside from this, all worked as advertised. Red and green LEDs indicate the direction selected. Pressing the direction button changes it. Pressing the brake button cuts power entirely. Trading between the hand piece and the power pack also worked just fine. Regardless of which unit was controlling the train, the volt/amp meter on the power pack showed the power being used.
I happened to have a longer four-wire phone cord on hand, so I plugged it in to see if there would be any problem in using a longer cord than that supplied. There wasn’t—it worked just fine, so you could presumably use a cord of any length for true walk-around capability, which could be handy on larger track-powered railroads.
I purchased the walk around unit as well. I too tried to use a 4 wire phone cord. It did not work. I called MRC and was told to use a 6 pin, 6 wire straight cable, not reversed cord. Could you explain the reason the 4 cord worked for the review and I had to purchase a 6, etc…?